If you want one more reason to ditch that fast food habit, let’s talk about phthalates. We all know that Despite the deliciousness of fast food we shouldn’t be having greater access too much of – if we care about our health.
According to the findings of new study published in journal Environmental Health Perspectives, people who have greater access to fast food had higher levels of phthalates, “a group of harmful industrial chemical” than people who have healthy eating habits. Phthalates are commonly used in plasticizer products to make them less fragile but it has been linked to a number of adverse health outcomes. Its harmful effects have been seen in the reproductive systems, especially among males. Experts suggest that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to resist the fast food cravings.
For the purpose of the study, researchers at the George Washington University (GWU) looked at the effect of phthalates on human health and collected data from nearly 8,877 people who had been the part of the study in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 to 2010. Participants, being part of the study answered detailed questions about the food they consumed in the last 24 hours and a urine sample. The data was then collaborated and result reveal the presence of two specific phthalate chemicals, DEHP and DiNP.
The findings thus confirmed that consumption of fast food leads to DEHP and DiNP that are used in products to make them more sturdy and flexible. According to Ami Zota, a part of the study and an assistant professor of environmental and occupational health at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, “Right now there are few choices for individuals who are interested in reducing their exposure, and there’s also not very much regulation of phthalates.” She stated, “research happens once they’ve been introduced in commerce, rather than before.”
The findings of the study are published in the Environmental Health Perspectives.
